The title insurance industry recently lost one of its most influential leaders and genuine trailblazers. Mary O’Donnell, CEO and President of Westcor Land Title Insurance Company since 2004, recently passed away unexpectedly. We join the entire industry in mourning this tremendous loss.
Mary spent her career building something remarkable. What began as a small regional title business in 1993 grew under her leadership into a national corporation that brought together cutting-edge technology, data analytics, and sound underwriting. As the only female CEO of a national underwriter, Mary was more than a business builder—she was a pioneer who showed what was possible when vision meets determination.
Her impact extended far beyond the balance sheet. Mary served as president of the American Land Title Association from 2019 to 2020, and her leadership helped shape the future of our industry during a critical time. She was passionate about innovation, always pushing to streamline processes, strengthen compliance, and leverage new technologies to better serve title agents and their customers.
We at FAN had the privilege of working alongside Mary in various industry initiatives. Our CEO, Aaron Davis, served with her on the ALTA Good Deeds Foundation Board, where Mary’s dedication to community service shone brightly. He shared some of his experiences with Mary in the October issue of ALTA Title News. Under her leadership as president of the foundation, the organization raised over $330,000 and awarded $278,000 in grants to 46 nonprofits across 45 states and DC. Mary believed deeply that businesses should act as agents of change, and she lived that belief every day.
Her work with the foundation, particularly in response to emergencies like Hurricanes Helene and Milton, demonstrated what the title industry can accomplish when we come together. She often emphasized the ripple effect of giving, noting that when we support our communities, we foster stronger, more vibrant neighborhoods that benefit everyone.
Mary’s legacy lives on in the countless agents she mentored, the innovations she championed, and the community initiatives she supported. She transformed a cottage industry approach into a billion-dollar national presence while never losing sight of what matters most: helping people achieve their dreams of homeownership and building stronger communities.
We extend our deepest condolences to Mary’s family. The entire title insurance community feels this loss deeply.
Mary O’Donnell showed us what leadership looks like—visionary, collaborative and always focused on lifting others up. We were fortunate to have her in our industry, and we commit to carrying forward the spirit of innovation, service, and community that she exemplified throughout her remarkable career.